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Galwegians RFC held its annual Senior Rugby Awards Night on Friday evening May 16^th in the sub-kissed surrounds of the Ardilaun House Hotel, where a BarBQ reception was followed by the presentation of the awards.

MC for the evening was the outgoing Club President Dr. David Bouchier-Hayes who presented the awards to the following recipients.

Women’s Firsts

• Player of the Year: Sarah McCormick
• Players’ Player of the Year: Sarah Purcell
• Most Improved Player: Megan Connolly

Women’s Seconds

• Player of the Year: Katherine Mahon 
• Players’ Player of the Year: Gina Kearns
• Most Improved Player: Yashoda O Flaherty  

Men’s Firsts

• Player of the Year: Oisín Halpin
• Players’ Player of the Year: Dylan Keane
• Most Improved Player: Ryan Roche

Men’s Seconds

• Player of the Year: Ronan Conneely 
• Players’ Player of the Year: Mark McHugh
• Most Improved Player: Millar Yule

Men’s Thirds

• Player of the Year: Dylan Duffy
• Players’ Player of the Year: Brendan Devlin
• Most Improved Player: Thibault Cariou

Men’s U20s

• Player of the Year: Rob McHugh
• Players’ Player of the Year: Rob McHugh
• Most Improved Player: Jandre Mosert. 

Club Person of the Year Award went to joint-winners for the first time ever:

• Dearbhla Canty & Sinead O’Brien

There was also a special presentation of a framed jersey made to departing Club Bar Manager Tracey Foley.

Wednesday evening May 7th saw our annual Youth Awards night where we celebrated the talent, growth, and spirit across all our age groups!

Here is our roll of honour for 2024-25:

U13

• Player of the Year: Noah Kelly
• Most Improved: Conor McFadden
• Spirit of Rugby – Teammate of the Year: Ruairí Hogan

U14

• Player of the Year: Sam Deely
• Most Improved: Oisín McDonald
• Spirit of Rugby: Áine Landy

U15

• Player of the Year: Oisín Scanlon
• Most Improved: Dara Flanagan
• Players’ Player: Wyatt Post

U16

• Player of the Year: Mark Allnut
• Most Improved: Liam Duggan
• Players’ Player – Teammate of the Year: Tom Malone

U17

• Player of the Year: Mícheál Walsh
• Most Improved: Leon Morounfolu
• Players’ Player: Mícheál Walsh

U18.5

• Player of the Year: Robert Bradley
• Most Improved: Hassan Shalaby
• Players’ Player: Matthew Harry

Girls

• Player of the Year: Keso Peikrishvili
• Most Improved: Grace Rowland
• Players’ Player: Peace Fatusin

Youth Club Person of the Year

• Diane Wright (pictured)

All awards proudly presented by Jarrad Butler and Oisín McKey. Thank you both for making the evening even more special!

Congratulations to all our amazing players and supporters. Your hard work, spirit, and passion are what make this club great!

Emily Foley captained a group from the Galwegians Women’s squad represented Connacht in the recent Uni 7s interprovincial series. Connacht were victorious, with Emily and Sophie Cullen were honoured in the Team of the Tournament.

We caught up with Emily for a quick chat.

This tournament is becoming a real stepping stone to the national setup. Do you feel like it’s opening doors for players like yourself?

Absolutely, this tournament is a great platform. It gives us the chance to test ourselves against top talent and get noticed by national coaches. It’s a huge opportunity for us players, definitely a stepping stone. 

What were some of the standout moments for you and your teammates throughout the four rounds?

One of the biggest highlights for us was going to each province and managing to get a win on their home turf against them. Then to finish it off by winning the title at home in Galway made all the hard work worth it. 

Looking back at the whole series, what do you think clicked for your team that helped you go all the way?

Looking back, I think what really clicked for us was the work we put in training. We pushed each other every week and had a good bond that showed on the pitch. 

How did it feel to captain the team through such a competitive series—and what did the role teach you along the way?

It was an honour to captain the team. With the level of talent and leadership we had across the squad it made it very easy. Everyone stepped up when it mattered. The role taught be about communication and driving standards on the pitch. 

Sophie Cullen and yourself were named in the Team of the Tournament. How did that feel, and what does that recognition mean to you personally?

It was a great feeling to be named on the team of the tournament alongside Sophie. It means a lot personally knowing how much work went in throughout the series, but it reflects on the team as a whole. We pushed each other everyday and I’m really proud to be part of it.

Tell us about your rugby career in Romania?

I signed my first contract over here in November 2020 at a team called Dinamo Bucharest. I made my debut for them that same month in a cup semi-final which we unfortunately lost. I came off the bench and gave a try assist and got a late hit and tore my ACL and meniscus which had me off the field for 19 months.

Tell us about  your recent episode with Wegians?

My contract ended in December 2022 so came back to Wegians to find the love of the game again. I did, playing in the 2022/2023 season for the Blues and in summer 2023 signed to my current club Rapid București. 

Tell us about your current team?

Rapid București are a very young team, more so a project made up of only Romanian qualified players made to grow the youth, because the youth system here fails the younger players as there’s not much funding for the grassroots clubs.

For most of these boys it was their first time playing a senior game and they did exceptional. We’re being coached by two Romanian rugby legends Stelian Burcea, former captain and centurion, and Florin Vlaicu, who currently holds the records for the most caps for Romania and most points with over 1000 scored in international games.

On the players side of things we have some great players with experience with us on the field to help the younger lads grow such as Florin Bardasu and Alexandru Savin who are currently national front rows and have been a great part in our team, and another centurion Florin Surugiu who is arguably the best scrum half Romania ever had.

International Aspirations?

I haven’t made my first senior cap yet but I’ve been in and out of the camps and hopefully soon it will happen.

Throughout the camps I’ve been learning from some great coaches such as current head coach David Gerard Benjamin Lapeyre and former Portugal head coach Patrice Lagisquet

What does Galwegians mean to you?

Wegians will always have a special place in my heart, I was welcomed when I started in U13s all the way up to when I came back from my spell in Romania.

A special shout-out to my underage coaches Niall Beatty, Pat Surlis and Eamonn Hornibrook who always pushed me to my potential and made me the player I am today. No matter what problems I had on or off the pitch, they always stuck by me and treated me as their own.

No matter how long I play abroad, Wegians is and always will be the place I call home.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from the States, Cape Cod Massachusetts. 

When & why did you come to Ireland?

I moved to Ireland in October of 2019, right before Covid. I wanted to experience living abroad as I have family in Germany, it helped being a dual passport holder and being able to work anywhere in the EU. 

Your Career?

I currently work in cybersecurity but also have side gigs in art, social media management and photography/videograohy 

When did you first play rugby?

I actually joined rugby in 2020 right after I moved to Ireland! I used to play tennis for my university and missed playing in a team sport and wanted to make new friends.

Why join Wegians?

Wegians because I always used to pass by the club house and the location was always central to town!

Your Position?

I’ve played many positions, wing, centre, flanker, second row, scrum half … but after so many serious injuries as a centre, a comeback as scrum half is looking more favourable haha. 

Best game or favourite memory?

Probably one of my first games back after breaking my leg. I finally felt the most fit I had been in a while and being able to play again after such a serious injury was such an achievement for me. 

Biggest influence on your rugby/career??

My teammates! They inspire me to be a better player! 

Unluckiest thing in rugby?

I unfortunately broke my leg around my ankle pretty badly October 2022. Dislocated fracture to the fibula and tibia and needed surgery, a plate and 7 screws total. Then more recently I broke my 2nd metatarsal October 2024 in my other right foot. Both times I played number 13 so maybe it’s time I retire this jersey and vow to never play during the month of October.

Other Volunteer Roles in the Club?

I started out managing the women’s social media in 2021. I helped as well later on the men’s side and for the youths. I also volunteer a lot of my time in other aspects of the club like minis, fundraisers, etc. anything to see the success of the club! 

Best thing about Galwegians – why should someone join?

My friends and family I’ve created from joining! I wouldn’t trade them for the world. 

Other hobbies?

Tennis, art, photography, videography

Craziest team mate?

Stacy Hanley

Most annoying??

Stacy Hanley 

Most inspiring?

I’m going to have to say Nicole Fowley! She’s such an inspiration representing Galwegians and all the girls in the West of Ireland as she kits out for Ireland! COYGIG!

Best sense of humour team-mate?

Stacy Hanley takes the stage again for this one lol

Where are you from?

Castlegar, Galway 

School?

Mercy Secondary School, Galway City

Career?

Youth Worker in Galway 

When did your start playing rugby?

Started playing rugby in 2016 when I was in college in Athlone, I had played camogie growing up but my friends in college convinced me to switch to the oval ball, I was told it was way more craic so it was an easy sell for them!!

When did you join Wegians and Why?

I joined wegians in 2019  when I had moved back to Galway from college. I was hooked at that stage so I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop playing after college and my brother, Cormac, who has sadly passed away played for Wegians when he was in secondary school so joining Wegians made sense for me!

Position?

Prop. Best position on the pitch too, obviously!

Toughest opponent ever?

Niamh O’ Dowd. When she tackles you, you won’t forget it!

Role model or rugby hero? 

Hope Rogers. Loose head prop for Exeter Chiefs and USA. An absolute powerhouse of a player and the skills to match 

Hardest working team mate or best in training ?

All the players on the pitch every week are putting the work in but the player working the hardest at the moment is our very own team manager Dearbhla Canty who is grinding it out in the gym rehabbing her knee from ACL surgery, so everyone should beware because she’s going to come back stronger than ever!

Ambitions for the season?

We have a lot of new players to the squad this year and some of our seasoned players lining out in new positions so we are really looking to develop and learn to perform together this year! The new additions to the team have been great and are driving standards throughout the squad. We started the season with a home win against Ballincollig but as a team we knew we could perform better than we did which unfortunately we didn’t back up with a tough loss on the road to Wicklow but we regrouped and knew what we had to do and came out with a great team performance and solid win at home against Cooke last weekend. The team will be hoping to build on this for the rest of the season and continue to put out the performances we know we are capable of!

Impressions of Jack Clarke and the new coaching ticket?

We have been very lucky this year to have Jack come in as head coach, he has brought great knowledge to the team and has created a really positive atmosphere in the squad. As well as Jack we have Tony, Dave, Oisin and Ciaran who have really listened to the players and have brought great experience in training!

Teammate with the best and worst dress sense?

Best Dressed:  Katherine Mahon is always looking stylish no matter what the occasion!

Worst Dressed: GBM. She knew this was coming haha!

Best and worst taste in music?

Best Taste: Our new resident DJ is Sophie Cullen. She always knows what to play to get everyone pumped!

Worst Taste: Ines Delgado. We don’t know the words to her songs from Argentina so can’t sing along, which doesn’t go down well in the clubhouse haha!

It is with a heavy heart in my role of President of Galwegians Rugby Football Club that I write this brief tribute in memory of Aidan.

Having travelled widely in his rugby and professional life, he recently returned to Galwegians, the club that instilled his love of rugby.

I had the pleasure of hosting him as one of our special guests at our opening men’s AIL match on Saturday where he was seated beside me. I was immediately struck by his enthusiasm, his intellect and his vivacious sense of humour. He had us all enthralled with his hilarious tales of escapades from times previous.

I was convinced that he was going to be someone who was going to have a seismic impact on our club, and I was looking forward to spending lots of time with him over the upcoming season, only to have him tragically and suddenly taken from us the very next day.

On behalf of the club, I offer my condolences to his wife Julie, his children and his extended family. His memory will last long and proud within the gates of Crowley Park.

RIP Aidan, you were taken far too soon.

David Bouchier-Hayes, President, Galwegians RFC

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Ballinasloe.

When did you start playing rugby?

I played minis and underage with Ballinasloe as well as schools rugby with Garbally College. We won two Connacht Schools Senior Cups with Garbally, the most memorable probably when we beat the Jes when I was in 5th year. And I also won an U18.5 Connacht Cup in my final game for Ballinasloe.

Senior Career to Date

After school I moved to Buccaneers to play U20s and AIL. I played 1 season in division 2A and two seasons in division 1B.

Joining Wegians

I just started training with the club back in July, and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it.

I knew a handful of the lads before I joined just from playing against them all the way up, and it’s been very easy to get to know everyone else in the club.

Connacht Senior League Reflections?

I think the Connacht League went well overall, two close games against Sligo and Corinthians. We probably should have won both but we missed out by a couple points. Everything came together for the Buccaneers game and that’s given us a lot of confidence going into the AIL.

Your Position

I normally play 12. In the Connacht Senior League for Wegians, I started at 12 against Corinthians and Buccs, and played at 10 against Sligo. 12 would be my regular position and it would be my favourite too.

Thoughts on the AIL?

I’m really looking forward to getting into the AIL now, and hopefully we can carry on the success the club had last year.

View the full gallery by Molina Oung or click on awardee names below

Women

• Player of the Year: Gemma Faulkner
• Players’ Player of the Year: Ellen Connolly 
• Most Improved Player:  Chloe Casey

Men’s U20s

• Player of the Year: Brian McHugo
• Players’ Player of the Year: Eoghan Fahy
• Most Improved Player: Harry Walsh

Men’s Thirds

• Player of the Year: Ciaran (Charco) Costello  (accepted by Jimmy Hill)
• Players’ Player of the Year: Brendan Devlin (accepted by Jimmy Hill)
• Most Improved Player:  Tom Egan

Men’s Seconds

• Player of the Year: James Deacy
• Players’ Player of the Year: Hugo Gens  (accepted on his behalf by Conor Joyce)
• Most Improved Player:  Jack Haugh

Men’s Firsts

• Player of the Year: Oisin Halpin  (absent)
• Players’ Player of the Year: Garyn Daniel
• Most Improved Player: Ryan Smith

Club Person of the Year

• David Glynn